Toaster or broiler.



PATENTED NOV. 12, 1907.

H. O. MAODOUGALL.

TOASTBR OR BROILER.

Witnesses".

,3 ru E 3 W I07 To all whom it may concern:

HARRY 0. MAcDOUGALL, OF WATERTOWN, NEW YORK.

TOASTER on nnornnn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Nov. 12, 1907.

Application filed February 16I 1907- Serial No. 857.677-

Be it known that .I, HARRY O. MACDOUGALL, a citi zen of the UnitedStates, residing at Watertown, in the county of Jefferson and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toastersor Broilers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in toasters or broilers of thatclass in which the grid-iron is formed of two parts, comprising a basketand a hinged leaf or cover which fits inside the basket, and theinvention relates particularly to a device of the class in which thecover is adjustable to different positions in and parallel to the bottomof the basket.

The object of the invention is to provide a toaster or broiler which issimple, light, durable and inexpensive, and wherein the construction andarrangement of the parts are such that 'objects of varying thickness,while being toasted or broiled, may be firmly held between the mainparts of the grid-iron, and the device when filled may be held orcarried in any position without danger of the bread, meat or otherobject becoming displaced, or escaping from between the two parts of thegrid.

The invention consists principally in providing a basket and also acover or lid therefor, preferably made of wire bent and woven insuitable form and capable of withstanding considerable wear, tear andabuse without getting out of order.

The invention further consists in providing simple but strongmeans forconnecting or hinging the cover to the basket. And the invention furtherconsists in providing novel means to cooperate with the hinges foradjusting the cover to different positions parallel to the bottom, ofthe basket, for the purpose of holding objects of varying thickness.

Other features and objects of the invention will be fully understoodfrom the detail description which follows, and by reference to theaccompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification, and inwhich- Figure l is ajperspective view of the complete device, showingthe same opened to receive or remove bread or meat; also showing themanner of constructing the cover and basket, and the means employed forhinging or connecting the cover to the basket. Fig. 2 is a sectionalview, substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig; 1, showingin full lines, thecover in wide open position, supported .by the hinge-loops; the dottedlines showing the cover in partially open and admin closed p'ositidminengagement with the detented adjusting part. 1 Fig. 3 is a plan view ofthe bottom of the basket, showing a modifiedform of toaster having a webof gauze. or finely meshed wire in addition to the open strands ofcoarse wire shown in Fig. 1.

wire 5, one end of which is attached to the handle 4 at the pointnumbered 5, and then extends around the basket and terminates at theopposite side of handle 4-, where the other end is secured at 5".

6 represents a tie wire which extends across the inner open end ofhandle 4, the ends of which are connected to said handle, at or near thesame points indicated for the wire 5. In forming handle 4 of the basket,wire 3 is bent upwards about one-half the depth of the basket, and thenis bent outwardly to form the long loop 4. The tie wire 6 is disposedsubstantially on a level with the handle. The bottom of the basketcomprises a series of longitudinal wires 7, which extend the full lengthof the basket, and at each end these wires are secured to the wire 3 bybeing coiled around it, and then they are bent upwardly and their endsare coiled around rim wire 5. By thismeans the basket is formed to asuitable and substantially uniform depth and will retain its shape. Atthe corners, and at short intervals along the sides of the basket, aredisposed a series of vertical wires 9, which are secured to wires 3 and5, for the purpose of preventing bread or meat fromslipping out throughthe sides of the basket during the cooking. The wires 9, in connectionwith the wires 7, serve-to hold the frame wires 3 and 5 in true parallelposition. To make a light toaster and also to facilitate bending andweaving the metallic strands, the wires employed for the basket, exceptthe upper and lower frame wires 3 and 5, are of comparatively smallgage. The wires 7 being of small gage and of considerable length,require some bracing or tying to prevent them from becoming bent ordistorted in the handling of the device, and for that purpose, I providea cross-wire 10,

which is interwoven with the wires 7, and the ends of said wire aresecured to wires 3 and 5, in the same manner as described for the wires7.

11 represents a substantially flat cover or leaf, comprising acontinuous frame wire 12, which is formed or bent in the same manner asthe wire 3, and also having a handle formed by projecting a loop 13 fromthe center of the inner end of saidcover, the said handle being in thesame plane as said frame wire 12. The frame 12 should be formed enoughsmaller than the rim 5 to allow the cover to drop into the basket.

14 represents a short wire forming a tie across the inner end of handle13, corresponding to wire 6 ofthe basket.

15, 15 represent a series of wires disposed longitudinally acrossthecoverll, and these may be secured to frame 12 in any suitable manner.The wires 15, and also the wires 7, are preferably spaced about one-halfan inch apart. A cross-wire 1.6 is applied to the central part of theCover, in the same manner and for the the basket. The basket ispreferably formed to a depth which -will permit the toasting or broilingof bread or meat which may be cut in slices varying froin'a quarter ofan inch to one inch or more in thickness. In order to hold the object tobe cooked in the basket in a firm manner, it is essential that the coverbe brought to bear tightly against the upper side of the same. The coverof my device is therefore made to a length and width which will allow itto .drop into the basket, and in order to allow the cover to accommodateitself to the level indicated by the thickness of the bread or meat,'the handle 13 should I be made a little narrower at its inner end thanthe handle 4, so that it will sink into the depression formed by thewire 6, and the ends ofjwire 5.

19 represents a catch or clamp, preferably made of heavy wire or sheetmetal, and arranged to slide on both of the arms of handle 4, for thepurpose of catching and holding handle 13 of the cover in place, whenthe toasteris being used. The outer end of the cover is hinged to theouter end of the basket, by means of a pair of loops or parts 20, whichare preferably formed integrally with the wires 7. In forming the loops20, the outer ends of wires 7 are first coiled part wayaround the wire3, and then bent inwardly and upwardly and outwardly and their endscoiled around wire 5. In assembling the cover and basket. the outer endof the cover 11, or rather the frame wire 12, is inserted in the loops20 before the ends are secured to wire 5.

21 represents one or more detentcd adjusting parts, which are preferablyformed integrally with the wires 7", the said wires being folded backand forth to form a number of notches or finger-like parts, into, orbetween which wire 12 of the cover may be inserted and held, for thepurpose of adjusting the outer end of the cover to different positionswith reference to the bottom of the basket. I prefer to employ two ofthe corrugated parts 21, to cooperate with the depression 6 foradjusting the cover to several positions parallel to 50 the bottom ofthe basket. Each of the parts 21 are formed exactly alike, and they aredisposed in the basket in such manner that the detents of one willregister with those of the other, and hence, when the cover is placed incorresponding notches in these parts, it will be held rigidly in aposition parallel to the plane of the bottom of the basket. The detentedparts 21 may be made of sheet metal, and employed with the same resultsas the wires.

slice of bread or meat is placed in the basket, the cover will be set inthe lowermost notches of the parts 21, and when the cover is closed downupon the bread or meat, the inner end of handle 13 will drop intodepression 6, and when clasp 19 is slipped over handle 13, the coverwill be held firmly in place, andrthe same purpose as wire 10 is securedto the bottom of If a very thin erases bread or meat will also be heldfrom any movement between the cover and bottom of the basket. If athicker piece of bread is to be toasted in the device, the cover will beset in one of the uppermost notches 21, and when let down in the basket,handle 13 will accommodate itself to the new level, and the effect willbe the same as just described. To remove an object after it has beencooked in my device, clamp 19 will be'movedor slid outwardly on handle 4till cover handle 13 is free. Then the cover may be lifted and swungupward and-backward a suitable distance to allow the basket to beemptied. If it is attempted .to

' full lines in Fig. 2, where it will be held by the loops 20. Whencarrying my toaster about, the hinged end will naturally be held lowerthan the handles, and for that reason, ,the cover will gravitate intothe notches 21, or if already in such position, it willremain there byits own weight, until it is shifted or moved forward the bottom of thebasket is covered with a web of fine wire netting or. gauze 22, inaddition tothe bottom wires 7. Otherwise the construction of the deviceis the same as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In this modified device, thebread or meat will rest upon the wires 7 and also upon the gauze ornetting 22, and the cover, which may also be fitted with the samematerial, will be adjusted to bear dowln upon the opposite side of It isobvious that changes or modificationsmay be 2 made in some of the partswithout departing from the spirit of the inventiomand I therefore do notrestrict myself to the precise construction and arrangements of the same.as herein shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A device of the class described, comprising a wire basket having aclear opentop and an open wire bottom, a

looped handle formed on the inner ,end of said basket, a flat wire coveradapted to fit into the open side of said basket, 8. series of loopsformed integrally with'certain of the bottom wires of said basket foruse in hinging the outer end of said cover to the outer end of saidbasket, a series of detented or corrugated parts formed integrally withcertain other bottom wires of said basket adapted to eil'ect theadjustment of said cover to different positions in said basket, a handleformed on the inner end of said cover, and means for adjusting saidcover handle to different positions, substantially as described.

2. A toaster, comprising a basket grid made of wire, a wire coveradapted to fit into said basket, 0. pair of bingeloops formed integrallywith two of the bottom wires of said basket adspted to connect saidcover to said basket, a

pair of detented or c'oi-i'iigat ed adjusting parts disposed betweensaid hinge-loops and adapted to eflfect a hinged adjustment with the endof said coverjor the several positions within and parallel to the bottomoi. said basket, and

means for adjustlngfthe free end of said cover, substantiaiiy asdescribed. l

3'. A toaster or broiler, comprising awire basket having a handleprojecting trom. the inner end and having one open side, a wirecover toclose the open side of. said basket or said basket, and a pair 0!detented parts for adjusting the connected and of said cover or lid todiiierent positions in and parallel to the top and bottom ot saidbasket, substantially as described.

5. A toaster, comprising a basket, a cover hinged at its outer end tothe outer end at said basket, and a pair 0! detented or corrugated partstermed with the outer end-0t said basket adapted to eiftect theadjustment otthe hinged end oi! said cover to a number of diiiferentpositions, substantially as describedI In testimony whereof I aiiixmysignature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY O. MAODQUGALL Witnesses:

Enos: V. Bmononox, v Hana! Dn Want-act.

